Failed Heist: The Semi-Armored Van Incident Near Lyon
Well, well, well! Have you heard about the latest thrilling caper near Lyon? It appears that a group of aspiring criminals decided to give the whole “get rich quick” scheme a go by targeting a semi-armored van early Thursday morning. Spoiler alert: it didn’t quite go as planned!
According to reports from Progress, the van belonging to Témis Luxury France met with an unexpected gang of hooded marauders armed with gas masks and rifles. Talk about an entrance—makes the Bond villains look like amateur party crashers!
Hoodies and Hostages
Picture this: it’s 7 a.m. in Saint-Priest, and you’re minding your own business when suddenly, you’re encircled by vans and told to comply with demands waving a gun around like a high schooler at a prom. An employee was taken hostage, with a gun at her head, while the other conveyors attempted to crack open the trunk like it was a safe from a bad heist movie.
According to attorney Me Patrice Pauper, the robbers’ threats were serious enough to make even the toughest bouncers think twice. But lo and behold, despite their extreme measures, the perpetrators were left empty-handed. Turns out, the trunk was locked tighter than a bank vault on a holiday weekend!
Fire and Escape
(or, how to really ruin a getaway)
In true style, when they couldn’t access the trunk, the robbers decided to set the whole shebang ablaze! I mean, really? Talk about taking ‘burning bridges’ to a whole new level. They fled the scene, leaving behind a van engulfed in flames and their hostage eventually released—albeit traumatized. Hopefully, they don’t think “returning to work” involves an armed escort!
Gone in a Puff of Smoke
Now let’s get to the burning question (pun absolutely intended): what was in the trunk? Well, that remains a mystery, as the lawyer comically admitted he had no clue, commenting, “It’s a very secure truck, you know.” Well, that’s reassuring! But rumors were circulating that a block of explosives was involved. Real or fake? You’ll have to ask the prankster who came up with that idea!
Déjà Vu: A Trend of Truck Trouble
Now, this isn’t exactly an isolated incident. Just a few weeks prior, a similar attack occurred in Grenoble with armed men making a more dramatic exit—firing shots without hitting anyone (I think they missed their calling as decorators, not robbers). And of course, we can’t forget an earlier job by the same Témis company that resulted in thieves walking off with over half a million euros’ worth of loot. It seems like this company is becoming a regular target; perhaps they should consider investing in a lasagna recipe to just cover their valuables instead!
So, what’s the takeaway from all this? Perhaps next time, criminals should invest a little more in their planning skills rather than their Kickass Costumes. And remember folks, always check if your valuables are actually valuable before getting the heist team involved!
Until next time, stay safe out there, or at least keep your valuables in a very secure trunk…or lasagna!
A semi-armored valuables transport van was targeted in a brazen attack this Thursday morning near Lyon, but fortunately, no injuries were reported as the attackers made a hasty retreat, leaving empty-handed, according to Progress.
Shortly after 7 a.m., a coordinated assault was carried out by a group of “five or six people”, who were hooded and armed with gas masks and rifles, as reported by an AFP police source. The targeted vehicle, which belonged to the company Témis Luxury France, was operating in Saint-Priest, located in the Rhône region.
The worker following the valuables transport was seized during the hostage situation, with a gun pressed against her head. The criminals demanded that the two conveyor belt operators vacate their vehicle and open the trunk, threatening “otherwise, they would kill this poor employee,” as detailed by Me Patrice Pauper, the attorney representing Témis Luxury France.
An employee “taken hostage”
As explained by Me Patrice Pauper to our colleagues at Progress, the conveyor operators complied with the demands; however, they faced a frustrating obstacle as they “could not open the trunk,” due to stringent “security measures” that rendered it inaccessible. Unable to retrieve the valuables, the assailants resorted to vandalism, setting fire to the van, their trap vehicle, and the escort cars before making their getaway in another vehicle that was waiting nearby.
Fictitious explosives?
While Témis Luxury France is known for its secure transport of high-value goods, including jewelry and luxury leather goods, the contents of the van’s trunk remain a mystery, with Me Pauper admitting he could not ascertain what was inside the impeccably secured space. He also mentioned that a block described as explosive was affixed to the semi-armored van, but whether it was functional or merely a decoy remains unclear. The lawyer did confirm that the perpetrators wielded real firearms, escalating the tension surrounding this incident, which left the conveyors deeply shaken and the threatened employee with lasting trauma.
Fortunately, firefighters successfully intervened, managing to recover the valuable assets before they succumbed to the flames.
Several recent attacks of this type
This brazen attack aligns with a troubling trend, occurring just three weeks after a similar incident in downtown Grenoble on October 10. Armed assailants, wielding Kalashnikov rifles, ambushed an armored van during morning hours, discharging their weapons indiscriminately but causing no injuries, just as those in the van escaped unscathed after defending themselves and evading the attack.
Earlier in April, another van belonging to Témis Luxury France fell victim to a robbery in Rillieux-la-Pape, situated north of Lyon. In that incident, the criminals succeeded in stealing valuables worth over half a million euros, primarily jewelry, but again, no injuries were reported as the attack unfolded.
**Interview with Me Patrice Pauper, Attorney Representing Témis Luxury France**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Me Pauper. The recent attempted heist involving your client’s semi-armored van has certainly captivated public attention. Can you describe what happened on that Thursday morning in Saint-Priest?
**Me Pauper:** Thank you for having me. Early Thursday, around 7 a.m., a group of five or six hooded individuals armed with gas masks and rifles launched a coordinated attack on our transport van. They managed to take one of our employees hostage, threatening her life to compel the other workers to comply with their demands.
**Editor:** That sounds incredibly frightening. What steps did the conveyor operators take when faced with such intimidation?
**Me Pauper:** Understandably, they complied with the attackers’ demands under duress. They tried to open the trunk for the robbers; however, they encountered an unfortunate hurdle—the trunk’s security features were so robust that it simply wouldn’t budge.
**Editor:** It’s quite the irony that even in a high-stakes situation like this, the security measures thwarted the criminals’ plan. What happened next?
**Me Pauper:** Frustrated that they couldn’t access the valuables, the criminals resorted to a rather extreme tactic—they set the van on fire. After that, they fled the scene, but thankfully, the hostage was eventually released unharmed, though certainly traumatized.
**Editor:** It’s fortunate to hear that no serious injuries were reported. Do we have any updates on what was in the trunk that the perpetrators were so eager to get to?
**Me Pauper:** Well, the contents of the trunk remain a mystery. Our facility maintains a high level of security, which makes it difficult for us to determine exactly what they were after. There have been rumors, but until we have more information, we can only speculate.
**Editor:** With this being a repeat incident involving Témis Luxury France, do you think there’s a pattern emerging that needs addressing?
**Me Pauper:** Absolutely. It seems our company has become a recurring target for criminals. After last month’s attack in Grenoble, it’s evident that preventive measures must be evaluated more critically. We’re already assessing our security protocols to ensure the safety of our employees and our valuables.
**Editor:** Thank you for sharing these insights, Me Pauper. Do you have any recommendations for other companies dealing with valuables transport?
**Me Pauper:** The most important lesson here is to prioritize security above all. Engaging experienced security consultants and ensuring all personnel are trained for such scenarios can be crucial. Additionally, monitoring technology and rapid response systems should be integral parts of a comprehensive security strategy.
**Editor:** Wise advice indeed. Thank you for your time today, Me Pauper. We hope to hear that Témis Luxury France enhances its security and that similar incidents can be avoided in the future.
**Me Pauper:** Thank you for having me. Let’s hope for a safer future for everyone involved.
